pamban-rameswaram-dhanushkodi

The Pamban bridge on the sea of south India of “PALK STRAIT” that is very the old connectivity of Rameswaram island to mainland India.. The name Pamban Bridge most suitable for both Road and rail bridges. It is the longest sea bridge in INDIA at a length of 2.5 kms and both the bridges stand high above all the bridges in India by the means of artistic architecture.

Exactly 97 yrs old railway bridge was constructed by a German engineer named SCHERZER with the cost of Indian rupee 20 lakhs and the help of 600 workers.. The rail bridge construction work began in June 1911 and was completed in June 1914.there were no loss of human lives while construction of the bridge. This is the only connectivity of the island till the road bridge was opened in the year 0f 1988.

But the road bridge construction was originally started in the year of 1971,

Adjoin the very old “cantilever railway bridge” (the center portion of the bridge is openable or in engineering terms one call it “movable” bridge to give a way, the ships to cross the palk strait.. The road bridge foundation laid by SMT. INDIRA GANDHI and the bridge was completed when Rajeev Gandhi was prime minister of India.

He inaugurated the bridge for the public use in the year of 1988. The 17 long years was taken to construct the sea – road-bridge and so many workers died while construct the bridge and also the natural disturbance by storm, cyclone to finish the project on time.

In the recent years the southern railway had converted the so called “meter gauge track” in to “broad gauge track” in the part of their expansion work of one line connectivity of all over INDIA. it helps to reduce the travel time by hours and also increase the rail traffic all over India.

The railway officials took a high risk adoption of changeover the entire rail track and this time they joined their hands with govt of India STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTER-CHENNAI and they done it in a record time, without a loss of human life. the entrance of the bridge from both sides of” Pamban” and “Mandapam” railway station one can feel the strong sea wind as well as see a artistic ,breath taking sea view. The railway officials initiate all the official works to Include the PAMBAN RAILWAY BRIDGE in the list of world heritage sites of UNESCO..

AND WE HOPE THE BRIDGE COULD FIND THE PLACE IN THE LIST APART FROM THE HUMANS EYES….

The submerged town of south India

People thought that, it was another rainy day of 1964 and done their day’s routine work and went asleep. They don’t know that they never see again either their loved ones or their golden land. Yes most of them were vanished, buried in their land instantly when the cyclone struck the harbour town DHANUSHKODI and killed thousand of people instantly on the fateful day.

When you look at those reaming structures of the buildings how the town was functioned in a systematic way

On the fateful day a group of 500 students from MADURAI city boarded on the train to DK .on the way some of the students got down the near by railway station and send of the reaming students to DK

But, none of them know that they are heading their burial ground. its a pity that on one escaped from the train when the storm hit the shore , the rail bridges and the track were thrown miles away and still one can see some of the remaining parts of the railway tracks near by road.

It’s a tragedy that the train driver refused to move the train from the near by railway station and he sent the message to the control office( the office situated @ MADURAI more than 150 kms from DK) that the weather conditions are very bad and if I proceed surely all of us trapped under the storm.. But the then higher officials madly ignored and refused his repeated crying and ask him to proceed with the passengers to DK.

This Travelogue 'pamban-rameswaram-dhanushkodi'
was posted by prabhakaran on Tuesday, February 12, 2008.

prabhakaranlives in Chennai(Tamil Nadu) and is interested in photography listening soft music like yanni,kenny G and good instrumental music(new age).
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